Death and Rebirth in Late Antiquity

Death and rebirth were crucial to early Christians in late antiquity, offering a cure and comfort in a world of high mortality rates, plague, and disease. Religion played a significant role in this environment, providing solace to family members through sculpture, painting, and epigraphy. This book offers a sustained interdisciplinary treatment of the theme, deepening our understanding of early Christian funerary and liturgical practices and their engagement with other groups in the Empire.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 360 pages
Publication date: 26 February 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Death and rebirth held significant importance for early Christians in late antiquity. In this era, death was omnipresent, with high mortality rates, widespread plague and disease in urban areas, and a constant threat to one's health. Religion played a crucial role in this environment, providing a means of healing and comfort to those seeking solace. Following death, the deceased were memorialized through various means, including sculpture, painting, and epigraphy, which provided solace to their family members. This book offers a comprehensive interdisciplinary exploration of death and rebirth, a theme that early Christians (and scholars) found of utmost importance. By analyzing the theme through various lenses, the contributors deepen our understanding of the early Christian funerary and liturgical practices, as well as their interactions with other groups in the Empire.

Weight: 490g
Dimension: 228 x 150 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781978701618